Heart of the Danube: Bavaria to Budapest - Eastbound

Tour begins: 5:30 PM. A transfer is included from Munich International Airport directly to your riverboat; flights arriving today should arrive no later than 1:00 PM. Settle in aboard ship and then meet your fellow river cruisers this evening at a welcome cocktail reception followed by dinner in the Compass Rose. Your riverboat sets off along the Danube this evening.

Awaken in Passau today for a choice of sightseeing in this riverside town in Germany, or an excursion to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. Once a Roman outpost at the confluence of three rivers, Passau is over 2,500 years old, a quintessential Bavarian town of pastel patrician houses, cafés, romantic cobblestone lanes and riverfront promenades, made for walking (many streets are closed to traffic). If you choose to stay in Passau, your walking tour immerses you in its storybook mix of Roman, Italian Baroque and German Gothic architecture. See St. Stephen's Cathedral; view the hilltop fortress where Passau's prince-bishops once resided; and peruse the 14th-century Rathaus (Town Hall). Later, if you wish, join your Tauck Director for a brisk walk to a hilltop fortress, or attend a public concert on the famous organ of St. Stephen's Cathedral, when available. After lunch, you may choose to challenge yourself to a 17-mile bike ride along the Danube, meeting up with your riverboat in the town of Enghelhartszell. Alternatively, travel to Cesky Krumlov, an incredibly well-preserved medieval town in a landscape of exceptional beauty. Your walking tour includes Krumlov Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, embracing 40 buildings and palaces of medieval, Renaissance and Rococo designs, plus numerous courtyards and gardens. Return to the riverboat and enjoy dinner onboard.

Arrive in the picturesque riverside village of Grein, Austria, for a choice of sightseeing in Grein or a visit to the Mauthausen Memorial. In Grein, join a guided walking tour that includes the Greinburg Castle – privately owned by the Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, showcasing the history and lifestyle of one of Europe's most influential ruling families – as well as the Grein Theatre, Austria's oldest operating theatre since 1791, and the historic town square with its adjacent Gothic St. Giles Church, renowned for its fine altar and stained glass.Alternatively, take a poignant guided tour of the Mauthausen–Gusen concentration camp memorial, approximately 20 kilometers east of Grein. Preserved as a museum and memorial, the site honors the victims of one of the last major concentration camps liberated by the Allies.Back aboard your riverboat, cruise through the vineyard-clad landscapes and castle ruins of the Wachau Valley, disembarking after dinner for a wine-tasting experience.

This morning, your riverboat docks in Dürnstein, in Austria's Wachau Valley, which offers you a choice of unforgettable sightseeing excursions. You may choose to explore the picture-perfect Austrian village of Dürnstein on a guided walking tour, with free time on your own – maybe a climb up to the brooding ruins of Kuenringerburg Castle high above the town. Or, a challenging bicycling excursion (not suitable for beginners) through the Wachau Valley, starting and ending in Dürnstein. Rejoin the boat for lunch, and set off on a leisurely, breathtakingly scenic river cruise to Austria's capital, Vienna.

You have a choice of sightseeing today, both preceded by a tour of Vienna's landmark sights: visit the Imperial Treasury (the Schatzkammer) in the Hofburg, displaying priceless treasures from the House of Habsburg, including the Austrian Crown Jewels and the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire; or alternatively, enjoy a mid-morning music rehearsal. After lunch aboard the riverboat or in town, your afternoon is free to explore more of this amazing city – once the capital of the Habsburgs' Austro-Hungarian Empire – on your own. Later, dress up and join us this evening at Palais Pallavicini for a Tauck Exclusive – a gala evening of dining and musical performances in elegant Viennese style. The sumptuous surroundings of Palais Pallavicini (built in 1784), with its ornate decor and magnificent state rooms, will transport you to another time – in fact, the palace facade is famous in another cultural reference... as the location of Harry Lime's (Orson Welles) apartment in the classic film The Third Man.

A choice of activities await this morning in or near Bratislava, Slovakia's visually intriguing capital city. One is a walking tour of the cobblestoned, vehicle-free historic center of Bratislava; medieval, Baroque and modern architecture mix as you visit sites that include the 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Habsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, St. Michael's Gate, St. Martin's Cathedral, and the Primate's Palace, where you'll view rare 17th-century British tapestries. Your other excursion takes you on a drive along the Small Carpathians wine route from Bratislava into the Slovakian countryside, lush with vineyards, for a visit to historic Cerveny Kamen Castle in the Little Carpathian Mountains followed by a stop at a local falconry. Both groups continue on to the town of Modra in the foothills of the Little Carpathians for a traditional lunch featuring local cuisine. Prior to departure this afternoon, our local expert offers inside information and anecdotes on Bratislava. Back aboard ship, settle in for an afternoon at leisure and join us this evening for dinner as your riverboat heads to Budapest.

Wake up in Budapest, Hungary, which is split into the sections of Buda and Pest by the Danube River. A guided tour of the city begins with the Pest side and a drive along Andrassy Avenue to Heroe's Square and a drive by Parliament and other iconic sites. Explore the Buda side with a drive up Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; see Fishermen's Bastion with its Neo-Romanesque design, and admire the stained glass windows and centuries of history in Matthias Church (may be closed on some days due to services). After lunch, spend the rest of the day and evening pursuing what interests you most in this historic, and artistic, city. Join us this evening for a farewell toast followed by dinner as your Danube cruise comes to a close.

Tour ends: Budapest, Hungary. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the riverboat to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport; you should allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.